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Jump Ropes aren’t just for kids!

Take a poll of people around you and I’m guessing a majority of them associate jumping rope with children’s activities and not an intensive workout session. Those people wouldn’t be wrong, they’d just be missing out on another awesome use of those often forgotten pieces of equipment. Instead of just being fun & games, jump ropes can be and intensive form of exercise that nearly anyone and everyone can do. I love jumping rope for 3 major reasons: it’s great cardio, it’s travel-friendly, and it’s incredibly inexpensive!

Jumping Rope is a great form of cardio

No treadmill or elliptical at home? No gym membership? Not a fan of running? Maybe jumping rope can be your cardio answer. Sure you may not burn quite as many calories as some other forms of cardio but it also, in my opinion, is so much easier on your joints. Ever watched The Biggest Loser? A lot of those contestants are seen jumping rope and if they can do it, SO CAN YOU! I’ve personally seen an increase in my stamina, better balance, and stronger arms & core from incorporating just 10 minutes of jump roping into my routine 3x/week. There are plenty of rope workouts available online if you get bored just jumping up and down for minutes on end {that’s me!}…I love this one, this one, and this one. Once you get a feel for what works for you, you can create your own intervals, design your own weight lifting/jump roping/running circuit, or anything else your heart desires!

Jump Ropes are travel-friendly

As someone who tries to stay as active and stick to a workout regime as much as possible, I’m always looking for creative ways to get a routine in. Packing a jump rope has been a no-brainer, lately. They take up practically zero space in your luggage and can be used both indoors & outdoors {assuming you’re on the first floor of your hotel/resort AND have high ceilings}. Another major plus is that a basic jump rope weighs much less than those wedges you’ve packed so you don’t have to worry about it setting you over the 50lb. checked bag limit. Score 🙂

Jump Ropes can be relatively inexpensive

I say relatively because nothing is cheaper than working out with your own body weight. Push-ups, planks, crunches, etc. are all FREE and you can do them anywhere, but add a jump rope to the mix with those body weight workouts and you’ve got yourself a full-body workout! Like every piece of exercise equipment, there are always ‘expensive’ versions you can buy, but I swear that some of the cheapest options are just as good as the name brand ones. If you’re looking into a weighted rope, I do suggest getting one with comfortable handles, but otherwise so long as the length is right for your height, you really can’t go wrong. The one I’m using in this post has lasted me the past 3.5 years and is under $6. That’s barely a Venti latte from Starbucks!

**Remember, as always, I’m not fitness expert or licensed trainer, I’m just a girl who likes to change up her workouts and knows what burns calories best for me! Oh and PLEEEEEASE forgive the facial expressions. Horrible, I’m well aware.**

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